


Amaryllis and Yarrow

by sinchun



Series: NCT Life in a Pack [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha Qian Kun, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Kinda, M/M, Omega Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, POV Multiple, Pack Dynamics, Third Party POV of a Relationship, discussion of mating bites, mentioned nomin, mentioned past taeten, side dotae - Freeform, side luwoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27978900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinchun/pseuds/sinchun
Summary: It’s not hard to tell, through the subtle changes in their scents, when one of them is having a bad day. And with all of the pressure they are under, everyone is frequently stressed. Touch is an easy way to relieve that stress, but Ten and Kun seem determined not to engage in it.AKA Kun and Ten's relationship as told through the eyes of others in their pack.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: NCT Life in a Pack [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043016
Comments: 4
Kudos: 153





	Amaryllis and Yarrow

**Author's Note:**

> Oops, this wasn’t one of the stories I mentioned as upcoming, but, uh, here it is.
> 
> You don’t have to had read [Lead](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27899764/chapters/68319259) or [In Bloom](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27944945) to follow this story (in fact, this fic takes place before “In Bloom”), though they both give some extra background to this AU—such as the fact that claiming bites aren’t the same as mating bites, but rather a less serious, temporary variation.

**Jungwoo | 2017**

Preparing to debut is no easy task. Jungwoo wonders if it he has easier or harder because he’s going to be joining an already established group. He knew most of the current members of NCT as trainees, but he hasn’t been close to any of them since early 2015, he thinks.

At least he has a few friends in the same boat as him. Lucas, Ten, and Kun are all gearing up to integrate into NCT, and by extension, the pack that has formed around the group, too. Ten, who technically already debuted but has never been allowed to fully join the unit, serves as something of a guiding light. The four of them become very tight-knit as they work together, as the rest of the group is still busy with their own projects; the company hasn’t yet announced the big promotional period set for next year.

Jungwoo has always been close with Lucas, who took care of him during his first heat. It’s not uncommon to find the two of them together in their spare time. Jungwoo is very cuddly, and Lucas usually more than happy to oblige him.

Ten and Kun are markedly less physically affectionate with each other.

It’s not hard to tell, through the subtle changes in their scents, when one of them is under a lot of stress. And with all of the work that goes into their debut preparations, they’re all frequently stressed. Touch is an easy way to relieve that stress, but Ten and Kun seem determined not to engage in it.

Jungwoo wonders if it’s a power struggle. Ten has been with the company the longest and has the most professional experience, but Kun is the oldest alpha among their cohort. Maybe they both feel like they should be the one in charge of their little group. Whatever it is, Jungwoo is determined to not let it bother him. Why should it? He’s getting all of the snuggling he needs from Lucas.

During a break between vocal training and dance rehearsal one day, Jungwoo grabs a bag of chips from the vending machines before heading to the building’s rooftop garden for some fresh air. _Some time alone might be nice,_ he thinks. Then he spots Ten and Kun standing together near the edge of the building and looking out across the city’s skyline.

Jungwoo isn’t sure what causes him to pause behind an overlarge topiary, staying out of their line of sight. Okay, he’s curious. He wouldn’t have expected to see the two of them spending their free time together. He can’t hear what they’re saying, but their body language looks gentle, pensive.

Peaking through the topiary’s leaves, Jungwoo watches as Ten rests his head against Kun’s shoulder. _Bizarre._ Kun wraps an arm around Ten. _Even more bizarre._ Ten says something, a barbed quip Jungwoo is guessing from the way Kun startles and turns to give the other a cross look. Despite the indignation on his face, his eyes are soft.

He leans forward to press a kiss to Ten’s forehead, and Jungwoo nearly drops his bag of chips.

“Kuuuuuuuuun,” protests Ten, his voice raising with playful annoyance. “You’re such a sap.” Still, he curls his fingers into the collar of Kun’s jacket, drawing him closer.

Jungwoo feels like maybe he shouldn’t be spying on them anymore. Carefully, quietly, he makes his way back to the door. Once he’s back inside the stairwell, he opens his bag of chips, feeling thoughtful as he munches on his snack. Clearly, Ten and Kun are a lot closer than he had thought.

 _Maybe their determination to not be affectionate with each other in front of other people is a part of some complex courtship,_ Jungwoo realizes, then laughs, because of course Ten and Kun, who are both so proud in their own ways, would turn something as simple as hugging into some sort of game to be played competitively.

He starts paying more attention to them after that, starts noticing little details he never had before.

Whenever Kun expresses a lack of confidence in his abilities, Ten is the first to reassure him. And when Ten pushes himself too hard, Kun is there with a snack and a reminder to take care of himself. Jungwoo has always considered himself to be a most endearing omega, but he can’t deny that these days Kun seems much more inclined to provide for Ten than for him. _Oh, he’s got it bad,_ thinks Jungwoo with a smile.

It doesn’t bother him. Now that he’s watching them, he can see how well they partner together, whether professionally, platonically, or maybe as something more than that. Jungwoo isn’t interested in getting in the way of whatever is unfolding between the two of them.

 _Besides,_ he thinks and curls up in Lucas’s comforting arms. _It’s not like I’m lacking in being doted upon._

**Winwin | 2018**

There’s a big shift coming, and Winwin is all too aware of it.

Promotions for NCT 2018 are exhausting. Behind the scenes, it’s even worse. Because on top of the endless interviews, practices, and performances, the company is preparing the debut of a third sub-unit. And they’re moving Winwin into it.

He’s looking forward to it, in many ways. Performing and promoting in Mandarin will be easier for him, and he likes Kun, Ten, and Lucas. He doesn’t know the three upcoming members as well, but from the few late-night rehearsals they’ve been forced through, he thinks he likes them too. Xiaojun is sweet and considerate; Hendery is funny, easy to get along with; and Yangyang is charmingly energetic.

Still, the extra work leaves him worn out, and he already knows that he’ll miss being a part of the 127 activities. It’s been his life for the past two years. It will be a hard adjustment to make.

With such a large change in lineup planned for the next year, they hold off on moving dorms, instead choosing to cram the four new members of the pack into the preexisting dorms. Taeyong spends an afternoon stressing about it— _How can I keep everyone happy? How can I arrange this so that the betas don’t have to share a room with an alpha or omega?_ The leader manages to come up with a solution, but with three people to each room, it’s… beyond cozy, to put it politely.

The room that Winwin has shared with Taeil for the past year and half must now accommodate Jaemin too. Never mind the fact that it’s only meant for two people. Mark has been shuffled from the master bedroom with Taeyong and Yuta into Johnny and Jaehyun’s room to make room for Jungwoo. In the other dorm, Ten and Lucas have joined Haechan, while Kun has moved in with Chenle and Jisung, and Doyoung, Jeno, and Renjun have the master. It’s constant chaos, all the time.

Despite all of the happenings, Winwin can’t help but to notice Kun and Ten making time for each other. How they slip away from the rest of the group when they think no one is watching. And Winwin knows that they’ve been helping each other through their cycles for a while now, but he’s beginning to suspect that their attachment to each other has grown beyond that.

 _It’s cute,_ thinks Winwin. He can already tell that the two of them are going be the parental figures in the upcoming Chinese unit.

It isn’t until the night before a free day, when everyone is hanging out in the dreamies’ dorm for a round of drinks and video games, that Winwin realizes just how strong their attachment has gotten. He’s on the living room floor, slightly buzzed off one beer and cuddled between Jaehyun and Kun, when he first smells it.

He isn’t sure of it at first, and leans further into Kun to double check. But there it is. Some familiar scent curling around Kun, faint but still stronger than the rest of the pack's scent markings.And because he has had a little something to drink and isn’t in a mind to be particularly tactful, Winwin asks, “Kun-ge, why do you smell like Ten?”

Kun blushes and Jaehyun laughs. Doyoung flicks a piece of popcorn at him from the couch, chides him for being rude. Then Ten untangles himself from his play-wrestling with Haechan and Jisung to crawl over to Winwin. He drapes himself across Winwin’s lap and pinches his cheeks. “He smells like me because I’ve given him a claiming bite, my dearest Winwinnie,” he tells him with a patronizing grin.

With Ten in his lap, Winwin can smell him now too, and sure enough, a muted version of Kun’s scent clings possessively to the omega. Winwin ignores the urge to ask why they’ve decided to claim each other. He isn’t _that_ drunk.

Ten answers his unspoken question anyways. “An alpha as handsome and sweet as Kun? I couldn’t let him get away, you know? I just had to snatch him up,” he coos, then laughs in delight when Kun flushes and protests the description.

“You say that like you aren’t a catch yourself,” teases Johnny. “Everyone’s favorite omega.”

“Ooh, don’t let Doyoung or Jungwoo hear you saying that,” warns Jaehyun with a laugh.

Doyoung flicks a second piece of popcorn in Johnny’s direction. “Too late,” he says tartly, no real bite behind the words.

Everyone bursts into laughter as Johnny offers up a feeble apology, but Winwin’s eye is caught by the way Ten’s and Kun’s hands have found each other amid all the ruckus. The sight makes him smile.

_Cute._

**Taeyong | 2019**

He shouldn’t really be surprised when Kun comes to him. It’s a silly archaic tradition, to require permission from the pack’s lead alpha to exchange mating bites, but it’s one they still adhere to, and now Taeyong is faced with this: Kun sitting before him with a submissive posture as he politely asks for his okay to take Ten as his mate.

Everyone in the pack knows that Kun and Ten have been involved with each other since before the big NCT 2018 promotion, and for the past year, everyone has been able to smell their claiming bites on each other. From the way the two have partnered together to mentor the younger members of their WayV sub-unit and from the way the two like to follow after each other everywhere, it makes sense, really, that they’d want to take things to next level. It’s obvious how much Kun and Ten adore each other, how in love they are.

It makes Taeyong envious, almost.

Not that he can say that aloud. He knows that if he did, everyone would assume that he was still harboring some possessiveness over Ten. The two of them had claimed each other early in their trainee days but mutually decided to end things back in 2014. They hadn’t even slept together since before they debuted. No, Taeyong isn’t jealous about Ten; he’s genuinely happy for his friend and the love he has found with Kun.

He just wishes that he could have that same surety.

Doyoung still won’t let him give him a claiming bite, and he doesn’t know why. It’s not like either of them have been with anyone else in nearly a year.

But that’s not the point right now. The point right now is that Kun is looking at him with pleading eyes and saying, “It would mean a lot to Ten to have your blessing in this.”

Taeyong isn’t sure if Kun means it as a subtle reminder that even if Taeyong doesn’t give them his permission, they could still go ahead with mating. It would be messy, would cause a rift in the pack, but they could. They don’t actually _need_ him to be okay with it. But Taeyong knows Kun better than that. Kun is patient and cooperative and unselfish, and if Taeyong told him not to give Ten a mating bite, he knows that the other alpha wouldn’t—even if it would break his heart, even if it would devastate Ten.

“Of _course_ you and Ten can take each other as mates,” Taeyong tells him. “I’m overjoyed for the two of you.”

And he is, really he is. He just has to ignore the bitter pit in his stomach that wants to know why he isn’t good enough for Doyoung, not even to give him just a claiming bite. Taeyong swallows down all that turbulence and makes himself beam at Kun, who is thanking him profusely.

“We should have a party to celebrate,” Taeyong hears himself say to Kun, “once you’ve given each other your bites.”

“That’s a great idea,” agrees Kun with a bright smile that shows off his dimples. He’s dazzling. It’s not hard to see how Ten fell for him.

“I am obligated to remind you not to put your mating bites on your neck,” Taeyong says in a serious voice. As idols, they can’t afford to let their fans know that they’re taken. It’s the same restriction he gave Jeno and Jaemin last year when they asked for his permission to become mates. The scent glands on their necks are off-limits for biting. “Use the glands on your thighs.”

Kun nods. “I understand. We’ll do that.” He gets to his feet. “I’m gonna go tell Ten the good news.”

Taeyong waves him off and once he’s gone, pulls out his phone to text Johnny, because Johnny’s always been good at planning parties. Johnny is, naturally, thrilled to pieces to hear about Ten and Kun. He is more than happy to organize a little something to commemorate the two.

Saturday evening finds them all crammed into the living room of WayV’s dorm. Taeyong brings a cake that he had baked that afternoon with the unhelpful aid from the dreamies, and Jaehyun insists on opening a bottle of champagne, despite Ten’s mild protestations that red wine would be more Kun’s speed. The atmosphere is jubilant, light-hearted and happy.

Taeyong’s heart feels so full, so warm as he watches everyone celebrate. Ten and Kun exchange kiss after kiss, to the whoops and cheers of the rest of the pack. Jeno and the other members who are still underage make puppy dog eyes at Doyoung until he gives in and agrees to let them all have a glass of champagne each. Taeyong creeps up behind him, slides his arms around his waist, and warns the kids, “Don’t overdo it.”

Doyoung lets Taeyong press a kiss to his neck, then dances away from him. He’s always like this, twisting and slipping through Taeyong’s hands like water. Then he smiles at Taeyong, eyes soft and affectionate, and it doesn’t hurt quite as much. But still—

_Why doesn’t he want a claiming bite from me? What am I doing wrong?_

“I’m so happy for Kun and Ten,” Doyoung says, ignorant to Taeyong’s self-pitying thoughts. “It’s really felt past time that they took each other as mates, you know?”

Taeyong knows. Kun and Ten are so well-suited to each other, always working together in an enviable tandem. Making a noise of agreement, he snags a glass of champagne from Jaehyun and holds it up to make a toast. “To the happy couple!” he says brightly. “To Ten and Kun!”

Everyone lifts their glasses in response. “To Ten and Kun!”

**Author's Note:**

> Probably nobody cares about the shifting roommate logistics but I spent way too long working on them to not include it.
> 
> Next story is probably gonna be a smutty one, just FYI.
> 
> As always, I love comments and am open to suggestions/requests for pairings in this AU (though there are some endgame couples already set).
> 
>  **UPDATE:** There's now a prequel of sorts to this from Kun's POV, called [Fomalhaut](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28923342).


End file.
